Important note: These summaries are interspaced with my experiences and stories as well but the base of the learning points are Sister Sadaaf’s insha Allah.
Learning to recite the Qur’an
People ask, how is it even possible that you cannot speak Arabic, and do not understand it, but you can recite? Beautifully too. Many have memorised it in its entirety. Subhanallah.
Alhamdullilah, this is the beauty of the Qur’an. It’s a book of reading, of revelation, a miraculous book.
This is the book that will remain unchanged and untampered till the end of days and its obligation in our lives is a commandment that we learn and understand it to perform any ibaadah.
In our incumbent learning and understanding, we must not be careless or perfunctory. It is after all, Allah’s words and commandments. We must learn to recite it and, in its correct form.
Many Muslims across the globe make the dire mistake of allowing the tongue of their tribal language to affect the recitation of the Qur’an, not taking the time and pain to correct this. Those who speak Urdu may mix the pronunciations because their language is so close to Arabic while those of us on this side of the divide, allow the lack of letters in our tribal speech to impinge on the correct pronunciation of the Qur’an. This is a grave mistake we must not be careless about. One will end up reading words that do not exist and distorting the meaning of this great message.
We must not let this happen when reciting the Qur’an.
We must put in the effort, slow down, listen, repeat, correct and recite the way it is supposed to be read.These are not alphabets of English or any other language. They are the letters of the divine words of Allah. We must strive – know the points of articulation and sounds and how they must and should be expelled.
This can be difficult, especially if you’ve not learned to recite the language before. Having to pronounce the heavy letters or guttural sounds that are foreign to you, or to stay a couple of beats on a letter while joining it to another and all the time nasalizing the sound can be a challenge😊. Practise, consistency and determination are needed to ease your vocal cords and make the reading of the Qur’an easier for you insha Allah.
To begin with, you must have the right attitude. As a student, you need to be humble to learn. The way of the pious was to learn from a teacher who would teach and recite, and then the student would imitate and recite back.
Without the right attitude, it can be a futile endeavour. Learning a new language is tough and being indignant, stubborn or lazy will get you nowhere. Remember the One you learn for and why this is of the utmost importance and bring your best self to learn the Qur’an. This is not the time to be ashamed, embarrassed or proud when you’re repeatedly asked to repeat and go back over a word or verse. Drop your age or intelligence at the door, get a partner or enrol in a class so you can have accountability partners and get the work done for His sake alone.
If a physical teacher is unavailable in your environs, the power of the internet is at your fingertips. Many Muslims are learning from teachers in different countries with the availability of online classes being done for free. Make sure you do your research in finding the right study circles to take your learning from. Be very careful and particular.Some people use applications, playing, listening and reciting into a recorder to check their recitation. I recommend this method alongside learning with a well-versed Qur’an teacher; never alone.Spend time having the Qur’an playing. She mentions this in Chapter 1 and reiterates this again. Learning something means you hear it often. The Qur’an is repetition so please keep the Nur burning. I know several people who have memorised Juz Amma (the 30th chapter of the Qur’an) by playing it while commuting. But again, remember, not alone. Learning should entail all your senses – listen, read, and recite aloud.
May Allah grant us all the beauty of His Noble book.
Important Note: We are a people of many different abilities as created by Our Rabb. There are those of us who will begin this journey and they will just get it. Allah has blessed their tongues and when you hear them recite you think to yourself ‘Subhanallah, how can I ever recite like that?
’Your Lord is All-knowing and Merciful. He will recompense our efforts justly.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an will be with the honourable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have two rewards.” (Riyadu Saliheen)So, immerse yourself in learning the Qur’an, Ya Ihkwaan and may Allah have mercy upon us all. May Allah reward our sister abundantly. Ameen.
